Sugar sugar baby

[20] Opening day chaos

Opening day arrived like a storm, and I could feel the buzz in the air before I even stepped foot into the restaurant. It was surreal. We'd spent months planning, preparing, hustling, and now, here we were. The line outside stretched down the block, people already gathering before we'd even unlocked the doors. Word had spread faster than we'd imagined. The Instagram posts, TikTok videos, and influencer shoutouts had done their job. It felt like the whole city of LA was waiting for a taste of what we had to offer.

I stood by the entrance, watching as more and more people crowded the sidewalk. I glanced over at Sasha, who was pacing by the kitchen door, her excitement barely contained.

"Holy shit," I muttered under my breath, grinning. "Look at all these people."

Sasha looked up, her eyes wide as she scanned the crowd. "I know, right? This is fucking insane! I mean, we hoped for a good turnout, but this... this is next-level."

I nodded, feeling the adrenaline pump through me. "We're about to be slammed."

She grinned. "Good. That's exactly what we wanted."

At exactly noon, I unlocked the doors and the floodgates opened. People streamed in, filling the space, the chatter and excitement building into a steady hum that echoed through the restaurant. I barely had time to take it all in before the first wave of orders started coming in.

Sasha rushed to the kitchen, barking instructions to the staff like a drill sergeant. "Alright, team! We've been preparing for this day! I want these dishes coming out hot and fast! Let's show them why we're the best fking place in LA!"

I couldn't help but laugh. Sasha was in her element, her ponytail bouncing as she moved from station to station, checking on every dish, making sure everything was perfect. Meanwhile, I manned the front, greeting customers, shaking hands, making sure everyone was having a great time.

"Welcome to Flavors of the World," I said, grinning as I greeted a group of people who had just walked in. "You're in for a treat today. Make sure to grab one of our signature ramen tacos—they're already blowing up on Instagram."

A woman in the group laughed. "Oh, we've seen the posts. That's why we're here!"

"Great to hear! Enjoy your meal," I said, giving her a wink before turning to the next group.

The orders were flying in faster than I could keep up with, but the kitchen was holding its own. I could see the chefs working their asses off, flames leaping from the grills, pots bubbling with broth, steam filling the air. Sasha was in full control, keeping everything running like a well-oiled machine.

Halfway through the lunch rush, I stopped to take a breath, leaning against the counter as I watched the chaos unfold. The restaurant was packed, every table filled, people laughing, eating, taking photos of their food. The energy was electric.

Sasha came out from the kitchen, her face flushed from the heat but her smile as wide as ever. She slapped me on the back. "We're killing it, Tristan! People are loving the food!"

I laughed, shaking my head in disbelief. "I know. This is fucking crazy. I didn't think we'd get this many people on day one."

She grinned, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "I told you, man. We're the hottest new spot in town. The influencers came through, and now everyone's here to see what the hype's about."

Just then, a guy walked up to us, a big grin on his face. "Hey, are you Tristan?" he asked, holding up his phone.

I nodded. "Yeah, that's me."

He turned his phone around, showing me his Instagram feed. "Dude, I've seen your place all over my feed the past week. Had to come check it out. This ramen taco is fucking insane, by the way."